Fire-extinguisher.



No. 662,786. Patented Nov. 27, i900.v

c. R. HARRIS.

FIRE EXTINGUISHER.

(Application led Oct. 12, 1899.)

(No' Model.)

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[NVENTOR tlormfy UNTTED STATES PnTnNT rricn.

CHARLES R. HARRIS, OF WILLIAMSPORT, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO` THEHARRIS SAFETY COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

FIRE-EXTINGUISHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 662,786, dated November27, 1900. Application filed October l2, 1899. Serial No. 733,1ll1. (Nomodel.)

T0 @ZZ whom, it pta/,y con/cern:

Beit known that I, CHARLES R. HARRIS, of Villiamsport, in the county ofLycoming and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Fire-Extinguishers; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art4 to which it appertains tomake and use the same.

Myinvention relates to an improvement in fire-extinguishers, and moreparticularly to the class known as chemical fire-extinguishers, whereina frangible vessel containing an acid or a chemical is carried by thetank and is fractured by mechanism actuated from the outside.

In the devices now in use the acid-holders are so constructed that whenfractured the entire contents are instantly liberated, and the largevolume of acid coming suddenly in contact with the soda mixture orliquid produces a sudden and excessive pressure within the tank, whichpressure is gradually reduced as the liquid and gas escape from thetank.

The object of my invention is to provide the tank with an acid-holdercomposed of two communicating compartments, the neck connecting the twocompartments being of frangible material or s0 weakened that a pressureagainst one compartment will cause the two compartments to separate,thus liberating the acid in both compartments, the restricted openings,however, so limiting the discharge of acid to the liquid that thegeneration of the gas is gradual and continuous, thus avoiding theexcessive pressure at the startand maintaining a more uniform pressurethroughout the operation.

With this object in view my invention. consists in the partsandcombinations of parts, as will be more fully described, and pointed outin the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis a View in elevation of myimproved apparatus. Fig. 2 is a view in longitudinal section of same.Fig. 3 is a view in elevation of a nxodiication, and Fig. a is asectional view of the nozzle-joints.

A represents a tank made of metal and of a strength sufficient to resistthe internal pressure to which it is subjected when the extinguisher isin operation. This tank is Vpreferably provided with an integral bottomVC, the elbow 2, secured to section l and adapted to turn horizontallythereon, and the nozzle 3, secured to elbow 2 and adapted to turnvertically thereon, the several parts being connected together by screwssimilar t0 the method employed in coupling up the sections of anordinary hinged gasbracket. With this construction it will be seen thatthe nozzle 3 can bemanipulated to direct a stream in any direction.Hence the tank can be placed on the floor with its nozzle directedtoward the fire, thus leaving the operator free to remove combustiblearticles or tear down curtains or other draperies in close proximity tothe blaze.

Secured to the lower end of the nozzle 3 is the cap 5, hinged to thebracket 6, projecting rearwardly from the free end of the nozzle. Thiscap is provided with a depending projection 7, which latter when thenozzle is thrown down to its normal position abuts against the side ofthe tank and forces the cap into contact with the free end of thenozzle, thus closing the nozzle and preventing the evaporation of theliquid in the tank. As the nozzle is raised the cap falls away bygravity and does not obstruct or deflect the streamA in the slightest.

Secured within the upper end of the tank is the ring or seat E3,slightly conical in shape, with its largerend uppermost. This ring E3receives the acid-holder F, which latter is made in two compartments ElE2, connected by a restricted neck E4. The upper section or compartmentE is shaped to it snugly within the ring or seat E3, while the lowersection or compartment,which depends below the ring or seat, is ofslightly less diameter than IOO the upper section, so as to permit it topass through the ring or seat E3 in assembling the parts. The lowersection E2 of the acid-holder is preferably longer than the section E,and as it is wholly below the ring E3 it will be seen that a lateralpressure against same will fracture the vessel at the neck connectingthe two compartments, thus liberating the acid and permitting it to flowout through the small openings at the neck.

Located in a position to engage the body of the acid-holder is theplunger F2. This plunger isl in the present instance provided with anenlarged head which rests and slides within the recessf, formed in thebearing F. This bearing is screw-threaded externally and closes athreaded opening formed in the body of the tank immediately7 below thehandle G. Located within the recess in the rear of the head of theplunger is a felt packing H, which tends to normally hold the end of theplunger in contact with the body of the compartment E2 and which whenthe acid is liberated and the gas generated operates through thepressure of the head of the plunger thereagainst to pack the openingthrough which the push-rod projects and prevents the escape of gas atthat point. The push-rod I is mounted in the handle G, with its innerend bearing against or secured to the plunger F2, and is normallyrestrained against inward movement by the spring fi, which bears at oneend against the handle and at its opposite end against the under side ofthe head or pushbutton. With this construction it will be seen that bysimply grasping the handle and pressing on the push-button the plungeris moved inwardly and bearing against the frangible acid-holderfractures the latter at its neck and liberates the acid therein, and asthe openings at the neck are comparatively small it will be seen thatthe generation of gas is gradual and continuous, thus maintaining a moreeven pressure than can be obtained with the extinguishers wherein theentire volume of acid is suddenly and instantaneously precipitated intothe soda-water. With this apparatus all operative parts are at the top.Hence it can be placed in position in proximity to the fire, the nozzleadjusted to its proper position, and the acid vessel broken, after whichthe operator can retire to a saferdistance from the flames or can devotehis time in removing combustible material from proximity to the dames.

The construction shown in Fig. 3 represents a small extinguisher adaptedto be held by the operator and is identical in all respects with thelarger apparatus shown in Figs. l and 2, except that it does not employan adjustable nozzle and carries the nozzle-sealing cap on its top. Inthis device the nozzle J is a rigid pipe, with its free end terminatingin a plane adjacent to the outer end of the cover. This cover carriesthe lever K, which scarse latter serves as a lever for removing and replacing the cover, as a hanger for suspending the apparatus from awall-hook, and as a cap for closing the free end of the nozzle.

Itis evident that many slight changes might be resorted to in therelative arrangement of parts herein shown and described withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of my invention. Hence I would haveit understood that I do not wish to confine myself to the exactconstruction -herein shown and described; but,

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. In a chemical fire-extinguisher, thecombination with a tank, an acid-holder therein and means for liberatingthe acid,of a jointed nozzle, and a cap for automatically closing thenozzle when the latter is not in use.

2. In a chemical fire-extinguisher, the'combination with a tank and anacid-holder therein, of a discharge-nozzle and a hinged cap adapted tonormally press against the free end of the discharge-nozzle when theapparatus is not in use and to automatically swing away therefrom whenthe apparatus is put into operation.

3. The combination with a tank,of a holder therein, an acid vesselsupported by and suspended from said holder and comprising twocommunicating parts connected by a small neck of frangible material, thelower part of the vessel depending from the holder and means forapplying lateral pressure to said 10o lower part of the vessel toseparate it from the part mounted in the holder by breaking thefrangible neck.

4. The combination with a tank, of a fixed holder therein,an acid vesselsuspended from 1o5 said holder, said vessel made in two compartmentsconnected by a restricted neck and means for applying pressure laterallyagainst one part of the vessel for separating or detaching thecompartments so as to form a re- 11o stricted outlet for eachcompartment to liberate their contents gradually.

5. The combination with a tank having a conical ring or seat therein, ofa glass vessel having a conical upper part supported by 115 said ring orseat, said vessel comprising two parts connected` by a restricted neck,the lower part of the vessel projecting below the ring or seat, aplunger bearing against the lower part of the vessel and means for actu-12o ating the plunger to sever the lower from the upper part of thevessel at the restricted neck.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence oftwo subscrib- 125 ing witnesses.

CHAS. R. HARRIS.

Witnesses:

ROBERT F. ALLEN, E. G. WILHELM.

